EASTER EGGS AND BELLSChocolate eggs and Easter bunnies are part of our American traditions.French children, however, have a slightly different take on this holiday. For them, it is the Easterbells that bring the eggs. On Good Friday, legend has it that the bells of France leave their towers and fly off to Rome to get the Pope’s blessing. Indeed, all of the country’s churches are silent for those three days until Easter Sunday. In the old days, when a rope was needed to ring the bells, churches made sure to remove them,to further fool the children. On Easter morning, the bells flew back to their towers, midst great peals and noises. On the way back, they dropped off Easter eggs in the gardens of France, for all children to find.

To read more about Easter traditions in France, Switzerland and elsewhere, read the April issue of the Journal Francais, or click on http://www.journalfrancais.com/JF/mois/paque.html